- Identify at least eight enthusiastic students to serve as officers for the chapter. Obtain approval and support from the department head for reactivation and ask that he or she appoint a faculty advisor to serve as a mentor for the students and act as a liaison between the chapter and department. The faculty advisor must be a member of HKN; if an interested person has not already been inducted, he or she can be initiated at the next induction ceremony.
- Update your chapter bylaws or rewrite them if they have been misplaced during inactivity. Use the Sample Chapter Bylaws template. Send headquarters a copy to keep on file.
- Consider the top quarter of juniors, top third of seniors, graduate students, and faculty not already inducted for membership. Send out personal letters of invitation. Include a note from a prominent alumnus or industrial advisory board member to encourage membership in this prestigious honor society. If your university will permit, e-mail the New Pledge Information Form to info@hkn.org and Roger Plummer, Executive Director, will send out personal emails to all invitees encouraging them to join. Host a meeting to introduce the officers and members to prospective pledges and to teach them about the organization. Tailor the recruiting power point presentation to meet your chapter's needs.
- Hold an induction ceremony. Contact HKN headquarters if you need a new signature book. Follow the induction ritual and use the power point presentation. Invite other faculty that have already been inducted or would be interested in getting involved in your chapter.
- Send headquarters the New Member Requisition Form and dues for each member. Once the complete paperwork has been received, headquarters staff will process certificates and enter the initiates into HKN records. It is only at this time that inductees will be considered members of HKN. Please note: all members must go through the induction ceremony. Invitees who do not attend can pledge at a later date with chapter approval and should not be included in the paperwork.
- Send headquarters the Notice of Election of Officers after each election. This form is used to record officers in HKN records as well as to update the online chapter directory.
The chapter is now considered reactivated! Membership is for life and includes a two-year subscription to THE BRIDGE magazine. The chapter should participate in service activities at the department, university, and community levels. Please remind all members to update their information online (hkn.org/updateinfo/index.asp) as their address or e-mail address changes or they may lose contact with HKN.
To maintain active status, send the New Member Requisition Form after each induction and the Notice of Election of Officers after each election to Headquarters. The Annual Chapter Report is required from each chapter by October for the preceding academic year. Although the short form is required, chapters are encouraged to design a more descriptive report and include pictures. This report informs headquarters of the chapter's activities and is used in consideration of the Outstanding Chapter Award winners. Follow the Instructions for Chaptersto maintain an active chapter.
Active chapters and individual members are encouraged to nominate Outstanding Teachers, Outstanding Students, and other ECE professionals for HKN's extensive awards program. Stoles and cords can be ordered for graduation.